Why Disability must be systematically embedded in all International Cooperation Efforts

In October 2011, CBM Ireland and the Centre for Disability Law and Policy (CDLP) National University of Ireland Galway in conjunction with Dochas and the Disability Federation of Ireland organised a major conference: The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities “Promoting Disability inclusion in Ireland and World”. The overarching message of the conference was that Irish International Cooperation must be inclusive and accessible to those with disabilities. The conference programme focused on good practice from around the world – including particularly USAID and AusAID.

The rationale for the conference stemmed from the need to reflect on the positive role of development aid programmes in lifting people with disabilities out of poverty and opening up new opportunities in their lives. As one conference participant commented ‘inclusion does not necessarily require more money – just that existing monies are spent smartly to avoid exclusion and to create pathways into the mainstream.”

A number of distinguished speakers addressed the conference such as Ms Judith Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State. Ms Heumann delivered the keynote address by reaffirming that there is a need to acknowledge that disability is unquestionably a development issue. Furthermore, she highlighted that if the Millennium Development Goals are to be achieved then people with disabilities need to gain access to changes brought by development money and programmes.

L to R: Mr Bob McMullan, former parliamentary secretary for international development assistance, Ms Judith Heumann, Special Adviser for International Disability Rights to the US State Department, Dr Maurice Manning, President of the Human Rights Commission, Ireland

Mr Bob McMullan who served as an MP in the Australian Labour government and who championed the inclusion of people with disabilities in the Australian governments overseas programmes also addressed the conference. Starting with what he called an imaginary country, he gave the audience some stark statistics. This country has up to 500 million people, the under 5 mortality rate is up to 80%; the school attendance is 10%; the literacy rate is 3% and the unemployment rate is up to 80%. These statistics in any country would be unacceptable from a human rights perspective. Mr McMullan went onto explain that while the country might be imaginary, the statistics are true when it comes to describing disability within a developing country.

Mr McMullan, then outlined to conference participants the 10 low cost steps that can be taken to make Aid or International Cooperation more inclusive. These steps are

Other speakers at the conference included NUIG Centre for Disability Law and Policy Director Professor Gerard Quinn who described the event as pioneering at European level. CBM Ireland National Director David McAllister called for disability support to be systematically embedded in Ireland’s Overseas Budget. Mr McAllister’s final remarks concluded by stating that Ireland has an opportunity to be a leader in this field through ensuring that the Overseas Development is inclusive and accessible to those with disabilities. However this inclusion will not happen merely because of legislation or the development of discussion papers. It must be dynamically imbedded in Irish Development Policy for Overseas Development Aid.

Response from Mary Keogh:
Yes, I think in ideal terms, the human rights lobby is the best lobby for the disability agenda. The adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has made progress in shifting disability from an issue that traditionally was catered for as ‘special needs’ to one of the need for dignity, respect and inclusion. However, the transition is slow, and there is a lot of capacity building from both sides needed in order for effective lobbying. For example, disability organisations need their capacities built on how to work within a human rights framework, particularly the aspects that engage with the United Nations and its reporting systems. On the flip side then Human Rights organisations need their capacity built to realise that disability is not an issue that can just be just delegated to work on the right to health, the right to education, it is much broader than that. There is a real need also for developing a common human rights language to be used when talking about disability. All of this will take time but having disability recognized as a human rights issue is an important starting point.